Its Summer!!! And You’re planning your Fall renovation…right?
Okay I can hear you all looking at each other and thinking I am crazy. I mean really, this is the time to relax enjoy the sun and family!!
I get it and I do understand. However, when it comes to any renovation, success is in the planning and planning happens months before not weeks.
Far be it for me to say that the decorating “reality” shows are not reality but they are not! HGTV and DIY television have done such a disservice to the people that watch the show that not only can a complete renovation be done in three days to 5 weeks but cost under a $100,000.00 to do a whole home reno!!
First of all they do not mention the weeks that go into creating that design, then get approval from the home-owners, then revisions if necessary. They also have teams that work around the clock to get things done in that time line. So, so not reality!!
Reality is there are the possible permits that sometimes are required, making sure you have your designer/contractor’s whole team to get co-ordinated, if they are available, because if it is a busy time you could have to wait for the trades to become free.
For the interior you’re looking at your cabinetry taking between 6-10 weeks depending on the time of year. Custom lighting takes 6-12 weeks (I know that seems ridiculous to me too) but it can. Carpeting and vinyl take 2-4 weeks, the same for laminate depending where it’s coming from and hardwoods and stone can take 4-8 weeks as well. Appliances, if you are ordering new ones are 4-6 weeks; furniture can be anywher from 4- 12 weeks depending on where you are getting them from. (There really is that slow boat from China we’ve all heard about lol) Lastly, the one thing that people forget or put off is the drapery and window coverings, again 4-6 weeks. These are the last two things that finish the look. Think about getting dressed for a party but you leave off the make-up and don’t do you hair. You really don’t really feel finished right? And last but not least are the accessories, the jewelery to the outfit mentioned earlier. Always leave some money aside for the finishing touches in your budget. In fact always, always have a contingency fund built into your budget. (I will speak on budgets in my next blog).

Hiring a professional decorator to help with pulling your reno together can save you time, money and loss of hair (to which my husband would say, is very dear to him).

Bottom line:
If you are doing this on your own, hire someone at the beginning to get the ball rolling, just to make sure you are on the right track, help you with the selections of products and then bring her back in to add those finishing touches. It will make all the difference in the world
Until next time.
Enjoy Your Summer!!!
Wanda

Your cavelike kitchen possibly feels that way because the dark cabinets have sucked all the light out of the room. However a bright makeover doesn’t necessarily mean replacing those gloomy boxes with all-new cabinets. As long as the frames and doors are structurally sound, you can clean them up and brush on some new paint—and within a weekend take that kitchen from dreary to sunny. As This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers says, all you need is some strong cleaner, sandpaper, a paintbrush, and a little elbow grease. What you don’t need is a whole lot of money, as the transformation will cost you a fraction of even the cheapest new cabinets. And that’s news that should sure light up your day
Painting kitchen cabinets is, like any painting job, a simple task. But mastering the perfect glassy finish is all in the prep work. Before brush ever hits wood, there has to be a lot of time devoted to getting the surface ready to accept paint. That means properly cleaning, sanding, and priming every inch of the surface, or the finish color won’t stick well.

Cleaning is the most important step in the process. Years of greasy fingerprints and cooking splatters can leave a layer of grime that inhibits paint adhesion. You can remove most of the gunk with TSP substitute or a degreaser—the former if the cabinets are not too dirty, or the stronger degreaser if the grime is thick—but it may take a couple of passes. After that, you’ll need to rough up the surface with some 100-grit sandpaper to help the paint stick.

The primer you use can also make or break the finish. To get a glassy surface, you need to use a “high build” sandable primer, such as Eurolux from Fine Paints of Europe ( check out Benjamin Moore, they have one as well), to best fill the wood and even the surface. The sandable part of that equation is imperative, so that you can smooth the surface before painting on the finish coat. You may even need two coats of primer to completely fill the grain.

To keep the doors and drawers flat as the paint levels, make yourself a pronged drying rack by drilling screws up through several pieces of scrap wood. That way you can flip your work as soon as it’s dry to the touch. Also, screw cup hooks into the edges of doors and drawers so you can grab hold and move them without fingerprinting the paint; then hang them up for out-of-the-way drying.

The formula of finish paint you use contributes to the smooth look. Traditionally, painting cabinets for a high-traffic area such as a kitchen required using oil-based paints. However, working with oils can be messy, and the fumes are toxic. Fortunately, while latex paints will never quite self-level and flow as well as oils, they’re getting close. Latex formulas specified for cabinetry—labeled “100% acrylic”—will create an even, durable finish. And, in many cases, they’re also low in volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which make that noxious paint smell.

As long as you’re sprucing things up, consider changing the hardware or putting on a faux finish for that added wow factor.
Cover the countertop adjacent to the cabinets with rosin paper and painter’s tape. Cover the backsplash with 0.5-millimeter plastic.

Flag each cabinet door or drawer and its corresponding opening with matching numbered pieces of tape so you’ll know which piece goes where. Remove all pulls and knobs, and then unscrew hinges from both the cabinet boxes and the doors. Pull out the drawers and, if possible, unscrew the fronts.

Using a sponge and the appropriate cleanser, wipe down the doors, drawer fronts, and cabinet frames wherever you plan to paint.

Tip: If you’re reusing your old hinges, also flag the paired hinges with their doors and location for easier reinstallation.
Using a putty knife, fill any dings or divots with wood putty. Also, fill any old hardware holes if you plan on changing out the knobs and pulls.

Using 100-grit sandpaper, sand the putty smooth and rough up the cabinets’ finish. Sand with the grain, and apply enough pressure to push the paper into any crevices, nicks, or dents without rounding over the edges. Screw cup hooks into the edge of the doors and drawers—on the top edge of upper cabinets and on the bottom edge of lower cabinets and drawers.
Lay the doors facedown. Using a 2½-inch paintbrush, apply a coat of primer. Brush first against the grain and then with it. Paint the interior panel before the rails and stiles. Let the primer dry to the touch before flipping the pieces to paint the other side. Prime the outside of the cabinet boxes (and the inside if desired) while waiting for the doors to dry.

Let the doors and drawer fronts dry to the touch, keeping them flat so the paint levels off. Then hang them from the cup hooks to cure completely.
Allow the primer to dry for several hours. Using a random-orbit sander and 220-grit sandpaper, smooth away any brushstrokes in the primer on the panels and other flat surfaces.
Sand the trim using a fine-grit sanding sponge. Push the sponge into the groove of any trim detailing. Sand the cabinet boxes and frames in the same manner.

Vacuum all surfaces thoroughly; then wipe them down with a tack cloth. If necessary, apply a second coat of primer and resand the surface until you achieve a smooth, grain-free base coat.
Use a new chisel-tipped paintbrush to apply the finish color. Beginning on the back of the doors and drawer fronts, brush on the paint, going with the grain. Paint the panels first; then work your way out to the rails and stiles. Apply a thin coating to avoid drips and uneven coverage.

While the doors and drawers are drying, keep them perfectly flat to allow the paint to level off. Meanwhile, paint the cabinet boxes and face frames.

Once the doors and drawers are dry to the touch, flip them over and coat the face, again working from the interior panel out to the rails and stiles. Let them sit flat until they’re dry to the touch. Then hang them to dry for another 2 hours before applying the second coat.
To keep the paint smooth, you should use a brush on the cabinet boxes and face frames. But for a superior finish on the doors and drawer fronts, you can apply a single coat with an airless paint sprayer. Spray the edges first; then fill in the field on the face of the door. Make sure to overlap each pass by about 50 percent, and don’t let up on the trigger until the spray is completely off the surface.

Keep the doors and drawers flat and level until they are dry to the touch. Then hang them to dry completely.
Once the cabinets have totally cured (another day or two, depending on the weather), attach the hinges to the doors and then to the cabinet boxes—fit them by turning the adjustment screws. Install the drawer faces.

Screw on the knobs and pulls.

Tip
If your cabinets are not level, fool the eye by adjusting the hinges until the door and drawer seams look even.
From THIS OLD HOUSE MAGAZINE

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